Since the second half of last year, the comic book industry has been in turmoil and seems to have entered a period of reshuffle.
In the second half of 2018, it was reported in August that Big Horn Bug comics were in arrears of millions of yuan in payment to the author, and then in mid-December, the news that NetEase comics was acquired by B website was confirmed. Not long after that, 36kr revealed that Aloft Entertainment was ready for sale.
Different destiny track is interwoven at the moment together, have been sold NetEase comics and demon it may be said is a pair of cartoon industry, but once a brother has demon why so far?
There is a demon up early to catch the evening set
If NetEase comics is late did not catch up with the best time, then there is a monster is up early, catch the late collection.
On generation, there is the earliest domestic comic platform. When NetEase Comics was founded in 2015, Youqi had already gone through nine years and ushered in its highlight moment.
In that year, youwei has accumulated 40,000 original comics, with an average monthly click volume of 8 million. Monthly updated comics reached 60,000 pages, with an estimated value of about 50 million U.S. dollars. In that year, the animated film adapted from the popular IP “One Hundred thousand Cold Jokes” with a demonic box office of more than 100 million, was the top animated film box office in that year, the industry believes that the demonic out of a commercial path from comics to animation to film. To this end, when the achievement is so outstanding have demon by The price of 900 million wholly-owned acquisition, many people feel that have demon is “low married”.
However, at that time, there are also many people optimistic about the future of the demon, that the Flying and the demon can complement each other. Which think in the past three years, into the Austrian fly department of the demonic and not more on a floor, and ended up to be re-sold, a brother status no longer ending. According to Guido data, Youhuqi ranked 12th on the monthly active user list of comic platform in December 2018, while NetEase Comic ranked eighth. There is demonic precipitation of more than 40,000 original comics, failed to keep the position of the first echelon; NetEase comics failed to enter the first tier even though it had the copyright of square Ennis, Jiyingsha, Kodansha and other comic publishers.
There is demonic retrogress, resulting from the missed two opportunities to establish a firm foothold after becoming the Platform of the Olympic flying system.
Perhaps due to its early establishment and long and difficult “pioneering period”, the cartoon industry was eager to consider the issue of commercial realization as soon as it was in the ascendance in 2015. As a result, the concept of “shadow Roaming” became popular, so that I was fully immersed in it. In fact, the film/game linkage or film/roaming linkage model can not be said to be mature now, only a few H5 games live well through the film/game linkage model, let alone a few years ago when H5 games were not popular and the upstream/downstream collaboration of the industry was in its early stage.
There are evil in the market is not mature to try to film linkage, tripping is inevitable. There are four IP with evil spirit: one Hundred Thousand Bad Jokes, Endbrain, Ghost Street and Young Bee. Only One Hundred thousand Bad Jokes and Ghost Street spread widely. Meanwhile, The Sino-Japanese cooperative animation “Young Bee”, which was expected by animation lovers at that time, had a bad animation quality, and the game development had no end.
Three years ago, there are demons can boast is the four comics, three years later there are demons can put on stage is also the four comics, even if had threatened to have a large number of IP inventory, most or buried in the hand. Side shows that the success of two works is the tone of works popular in the market, rather than demonic good at operating IP.
In addition, the PC has not been able to seize the comic industry dividend after 2015, that is, the Internet dividend, and the development of the mobile Internet industry is very rapid, you have been quickly supported by the capital of Kuai comics and wealthy Tencent comics and other platforms quickly exceeded, and far behind.
It is estimated that by the end of 2018, the number of signed comics on Tencent Comics and other three leading comics platforms is expected to exceed 150,000, contributing 70% of the number of signed works in the industry. Now the word of mouth is higher anime such as “fox little Matchmaid” are also from the head cartoon platform. This situation, can not help but want to ask a “there is evil old, still can rice”?
Alfie is a stepping stone and a stumbling block
As an Aufly system platform, there is a backwardness and behind the Aufly entertainment is not unrelated.
Indeed, In recent years, In order to let the PRECIPITATION of the IP can be quickly realized, through acquisition or investment to connect the chain, including comics, animation, games, toys, live-action entertainment and other links. But the cycle of cartoon realization downstream is very long, eager for quick success and instant profits is contrary to it, The heart of Flying entertainment eager to realize has become the biggest stumbling block on the way to the demonic position.
Aofi entertainment puts IP realization in the first place, leading to the evil spirit to put too much energy on the derivative realization of existing IP, while ignoring the incubation of other IP, gradually losing the ability to cultivate IP, and finally unable to compete with up-and-comers. Tencent comics, fast read comic when have a need to focus on shadow roaming linkage, not only to cultivate a batch of excellent original comics IP, in animation adaptation and ideal results have been achieved in the film and television adaptation patterns, such as “the small fox matchmaker” animation, and the fast and take away my brother change a live-action movie, also through cooperation with original literature platform, won a large number of high-quality content source for comic book. As a result, the distance between you and other platforms has become larger and larger.
In addition, Aofei entertainment through the acquisition of monster and its K12 business combined, to connect children and youth two age groups of consumer groups, but this is very idealized content consumption trend speculation, rather than real demand. The consumer needs of each generation are so different that the transition cannot be so smooth. In addition, In addition to several popular children’s animation IP released a few years ago, such as Pleasant Goat and The Big Big Wolf and Balala Fairy, Aofei also has no other achievements. In recent years, it is still stuck on its past, and how to connect the two generations of consumers from the content.
Of course, there are obstacles to demonic upward external reasons in addition to Fly, and the game industry environment is also related. Aofi 2018 goodwill impairment of 944 million yuan, most from the monster, the rest from the game industry, the game industry suffered heavy casualties must have heard. At that time, the film roaming linkage mode was not mature, and it was not the right time for the fledgling cartoon industry and animation industry to adopt this mode. Now, due to the restrictions on the approval of the license number, the film roaming linkage mode is more difficult, and it is not a good time.
The loss of the big, no wonder Mr Fly chose at this time to have a bogey to find a home.
How to pull back the monster?
Have a lot of original cartoon IP has not yet been developed, now the game plate number suspended again for examination and approval, the best opportunity to roaming linkage is still not to the movie, have a need to want to hold the position no longer fall, or seek improvement in stability, cannot too persistent shadow roaming linkage mode, to avoid to sesame lost watermelon, again miss a chance of niche.
On the one hand, a complete industrial chain is the guarantee for the smooth realization of comics downstream. Now all major comic platforms are busy with the layout of the industrial chain, but we should not blindly layout. If each link of the industrial chain is not in place, it will only lose money and lose troops. In the process of realising downstream, you need to choose the model in line with platform positioning.
Up, we can cooperate with original literature platforms to adapt popular literary works. Since literary works already have a fan base, it is easier for them to be transferred to the platform after being adapted into cartoons. Moreover, judging from the influence of adapted works such as “Master of The Tao” and “Fight against the Sky”, this mode is relatively mature and can call back active users with evil spirit, so it is better to put part of the focus on this mode.
Next, you can choose to cooperate with animation companies or derivative development companies with strength in the industry. For example, many popular works such as “One Under” and “Master of Full-time” have chosen to cooperate with Good Smile Company, one of the three Japanese hand-to-hand royal companies. After all, The K12 advantage of Aofei Entertainment is of little help to the evil. Expand the channel of realization to have demon and aofei advantageous.
From there, on the other hand, recent dispersing pertains and IP cooperation scheme, is focused on and the linkage of the retail industry, such as “diary of steamed bread and so on works and yong hui, hazelnut industry brands such as home life authorised cooperation, so the layout may be about Mr Fly entertainment from the toy industry, but there is need to also need to take the opportunity of audio cartoons and dynamic cartoon.
It can be said that the realization path of comics and literature is almost the same, both of which go to animation, film and TV series, games, derivatives and other directions, but the realization of literary IP is more adapted comics. The payment mode of cartoon platform refers to the payment mode of literature platform, and we can also refer to the realization track of literature platform.
Short video and audio is currently the industry generally believe that there are more bonuses, nowadays literary works except adapted for film and television play and animation will be authorized to develop audio books and radio plays, since the cat ears FM radio was confirmed by more than pay for radio, after the profitability of the radio has gradually become the platform of jinjiang city literature and other literature of IP based on center of gravity, And formed a radio drama, animation, film and TV series combined IP commercial model.
The comic book industry is also an opportunity. There have been attempts to combine comics with audio and short video, namely audio comics and motion comics. Compared with animation and film, the production cycle of audio cartoon and dynamic cartoon is short and the cost is low, which is suitable for the combination of animation and film adaptation. Tencent cartoon and other platforms are also starting to lay out the layout.
More importantly, the simultaneous development of audio comics, dynamic comics and animation will also play a role in expanding the publicity of comics. In this way, the vitality of comics will be extended in the diversified commercial model. If audio comics or motion comics become a trend, there may be a way to capitalize on the dividends of short videos and audio products.
Article/Liu Kuang public number, ID: Liukuang110, this article first kuang Venture capital network